George Albert Stedelbauer

George Albert Stedelbauer was born June 27, 1935 to Albert and Vera Stedelbauer in Tillsonburg, Ontario, and was welcomed home to Heaven on May 3, 2019.

After growing up in Southwestern Ontario, George went off to attend Wheaton College in Illinois. There he met Joyce Carr in their freshman year, the best thing that ever happened to George, and they married graduation weekend in June, 1956. Having started in the car business working for his father Albert in Windsor, Ontario, George became a third-generation automobile dealer when General Motors sent him to Edmonton, Alberta, in 1964 to open and operate a new dealership, Stedelbauer Chev-Olds. At that time, George was the youngest dealer ever appointed in Canada by GM. In 1975, he returned to southwestern Ontario as the dealer for Central Chev in London. In 1981, he and Joyce moved to South Florida where George remained active in business and ministry. After a brief return to Toronto in 1991, George and Joyce finally settled in Williamsburg, Virginia in 1995 where George continued his involvement in the car business until his final retirement in 2006.

George's involvement in missions and his local communities was every bit as important as his career in business. In many different capacities he served his various local churches, Campus Crusade, Young Life, Youth For Christ, Barry Moore Ministries, International Cooperating Ministries and The Fellowship of Washington, D.C., among others. George and Joyce traveled the world for ministry as much as for pleasure, visiting missions work in the field and using their home in Spain on the Costa del Sol as a retreat for many.

George loved the game of golf and played it very well. He was an active member of a variety of golf clubs in Alberta, Ontario and Florida. George was a sports enthusiast, most especially baseball, being an avid supporter of the New York Yankees. He relished the job of navigator in road rallying with his lifelong friend, Hunter Floyd, including the famous Shell 4000 cross-Canada rally, which they completed three times. He helped to found and served as President for The Edmonton International Speedway, which become a prime destination for Can-Am racing. As is fitting, George loved cars, especially Corvettes, along with his brother Bill, which he could climb in and out of with surprising ease.

George has gone ahead of his wife, Joyce, of 62 years; his daughter, Julie Vandenberg and her husband Dick and their children Chelsea, Claire and Ben, and Ben's wife, Sophia; his son, Mark Stedelbauer and his wife Elaine and their children Kate and Luke; and his brother, Bill Stedelbauer and his wife Jeanne and niece, Noelle Martin. George is predeceased by his parents and an infant grandson.

George was a man of deep faith who loved powerful worship music. He now resides with his Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, singing praises to His glory.

A Celebration of George's Life will be held at OSTRANDER'S FUNERAL HOME, 43 Bidwell Street, Tillsonburg (519-842-5221) on Friday, May 24, 2019 at 1:30 pm, with Chaplain Hunter Floyd officiating. A reception will follow. Inurnment will be held at the Tillsonburg Cemetery. The family would appreciate any donations made to Gideons International in the name of George Albert Stedelbauer.Personal condolences and favourite memories can be made at www.ostrandersfuneralhome.com